X-rays have been used for inspection purposes for many years especially for the ability to detect impurities with higher density than the substance under test. Typically a shielded head-end unit including an x-ray source and an x-ray sensor is deployed onto a production line conveyor along which containers of food and beverages are moved through the head-end unit where they are automatically inspected in sequence.
Typically the x-ray source, sensor and conveyor driving mechanism are controlled from a control console which is located nearby in a separate enclosure and which usually includes a microprocessor along with electronic control and logic circuitry for administering the inspection program. This equipment consumes substantial electrical power and thus produces corresponding heat, which if not removed effectively, can expose the electronic circuitry to excessively high temperature, risking loss of reliability or even failure and shutdown due to thermal stress.
Many types of modern electronic equipment such as desktop computers rely on one or more air fans to remove excessive heat from components that are heat-producing and/or temperature-sensitive. Such cooling systems are typically “open” systems that draw air in from the surrounding room environment. Unfortunately, particularly in industrial environments, the air often contains dust, dirt and/or other contaminants to the extent that a filter is required on each fan. Even with a filter, there can be frequent need for maintenance which can include disassembly of the equipment to at least clean or replace the filter, and often it becomes necessary to clean the internal components, and particularly the fan blades which can become loaded with extraneous material and rendered ineffective.
Typical available electronic control equipment is packaged in enclosures of either desktop or rack-mounted type; however the production line environment often does not have suitable desktop space available in the desired location, and rack-mounting may be considered unacceptable due to cost or other reasons.